FIA President Jean Todt and Alejandro Agag, CEO of Formula E Holdings, unveiled the new Spark-Renault SRT_01E fully-electric single-seater at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The SRT_01E was designed and built by Spark Racing Technology, headed by Frédéric Vasseur, together with a consortium of the leading manufacturers in motorsport, and will compete in the inaugural FIA Formula E Championship—the world’s first global electric race series beginning in September 2014.

The SRT_01E at Frankfurt. Click to enlarge.

Providing the electric motor, gearbox and electronics is McLaren Electronics Systems. Williams Advanced Engineering, part of the Williams group of companies that includes the world famous Williams F1 Team, is responsible for the design and supply of the batteries and their battery management systems, producing 200 kW (270 bhp).

These cars are going to be brilliant racing through the centres of cities. Electric motors deliver instant torque and acceleration and that is what McLaren is all about. Performance and efficiency. Our electric motor, developed originally for the McLaren P1, has the highest power-to-weight ratio in the world. McLaren is proud to provide the performance behind Formula E.

—Peter van Manen, Managing Director of McLaren Electronic Systems

The car’s monocoque chassis has been constructed by leading Italian firm Dallara and has been aerodynamically designed to aid overtaking. Made from carbon fibre and aluminium, the chassis will fully comply with the 2014 FIA crash tests.

Overseeing all the systems integration, performance optimisation and powertrain electrical safety is Formula E’s Technical Partner Renault, a leader in electric vehicles and an expert in motorsport with its Renault Sport Technologies and Renault Sport F1 program.

Meanwhile, custom made 18-inch treaded tires have been created by Official Tire Partner Michelin, with just one durable tire to cater for both wet and dry conditions and helping to reduce overall costs and promote sustainability.

The car, which has been 10 months in the making, will be used by all 10 teams and 20 drivers competing in the new zero emission series although only for the first season as Formula E is an ‘open championship’ designed to encourage manufacturers to build their own car to help accelerate R&D around the electric vehicle. A total of 42 cars will be produced by Spark with each driver using two cars during the 1-hour races.